2013 Oakland Athletics

Lore & Background

Following a successful 2012 season in which the team won the AL West, GM Billy Beane stated he would keep the team mostly intact, and 'if moves are made, they will be additions'. The first acquisition occurred October 19 in a three-team trade involving Arizona and Miami; Oakland sent Cliff Pennington to Arizona and minor leaguer Yordy Cabrera to Miami, and the team received Chris Young from Arizona. In November, the team traded pitcher Tyson Ross and minor leaguer A. J. Kirby-Jones to San Diego for infielder Andy Parrino and pitcher Andrew Werner. Grant Green, Arnold Leon, Shane Peterson, and Michael Ynoa were added to the 40-man roster and Andrew Carignan, Brandon Hicks (who was traded to the Mets) and Jim Miller (who was claimed off waivers by the Yankees and later designated for assignment) were removed. The next move was to trade Collin Cowgill to the Mets for Jefry Marté. When free agent Stephen Drew signed with the Boston Red Sox, Oakland signed Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima to a 2-year, $6.5 million deal, with an option for a third year, in order to fill the vacancy. Pitcher Graham Godfrey was sent to Boston as a player to be named later to complete a previous trade, while Brandon McCarthy and Jonny Gomes, who both elected free agency, signed with Arizona and Boston, respectively. In January, Oakland was involved in their second three-team trade of the offseason, trading pitching prospect A. J. Cole back to Washington (he was part of a trade for Gio González the year before) and receiving catcher John Jaso from Seattle. Upon the acquisition of Jaso, George Kottaras was designated for assignment. In February, the A's were involved in a five-player deal with new division rival Houston, trading Chris Carter, Brad Peacock and Max Stassi in exchange for shortstop Jed Lowrie and reliever Fernando Rodriguez. In addition to player movement, there was also a coaching change made by the Athletics. Bullpen coach Rick Rodriguez was offered a position within the organization, and Darren Bush, the manager of the Triple-A affiliate Sacramento River Cats, will assume bullpen coaching responsibilities.

In Their Own Story

The Coliseum lights hummed to life over a September night, the kind of humid Oakland evening where the bay fog crept in off the water and settled on the outfield grass. In the dugout, Melvin tapped his chin with a pencil, eyes on the scoreboard. Reddick was already at the plate, bat resting on his shoulder, that easy grin he wore like a second jersey. Somewhere in the crowd, a kid in a faded green cap was screaming at the pitcher. The A's had done it again — another win, another 98th, another night where the small-market miracle held its breath. Nobody in that stands section would forget the sound of the bat connecting, the crack echoing off the concrete walls of the Coliseum, the way the whole building seemed to lean forward as a single organism. That was the A's. Not the biggest names. Not the deepest pockets. Just eleven guys who refused to lose, and a city that refused to look away.

Reader's Guide

The regular season included an American League West standings table, an American League Wild Card table, a game log, a record against opponents, a roster, player stats for batting and pitching, and a postseason section detailing the American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers. The farm system and references are also listed.

Did You Know?

• The A's clinched their second straight AL West title on September 22, 2013.
• For the second consecutive year, they lost to the Detroit Tigers in five games in the ALDS.
• The team acquired shortstop Jed Lowrie from Houston in a five-player deal in February.